Employment contracts
In recent years, NITO lawyers have seen a negative development in the employment contracts they receive from members.
- We see a growing trend of "creative" contracts where employers write more comprehensively and longer, but without more content, says Rannveig Arthur, lawyer at NITO.
"These contracts give the employer more power, while the employees are left with a contract that is not worth the paper it is written on," she continues.
- I would describe them as hostile to the labour market, says Arthur.
Rannveig Arthur
Make contracts unpredictable
One of the main concerns of the NITO lawyer is that the contracts do not contribute to an orderly agreement on rights and obligations in working life, but to a greater extent give employers the opportunity to change important parts. This makes the conditions more unpredictable.
- One of the contracts I have on my desk now has a separate point that everything can be changed with a three-month deadline. This basically means that everything that has been agreed upon can be removed with the stroke of a pen," says Arthur.
- This makes the balance of power when signing the contract even more skewed than it is in the first place. As an employee, it is already difficult to negotiate the content of the contract.
Greater risk of change
Many people do not think about how important what is written in the employment contract is. Most employment relationships go smoothly without you having to pick up the employment contract. However, if a dispute arises, what is stated in the employment contract will often be of decisive importance. It is therefore also important that the agreement is clear and unambiguous, and not full of eventualities and reservations.
- Another example is the increase in terms such as "currently", "under current conditions", "at all times" and the like. A good example is agreements where it was previously clear how long holiday you were entitled to, now it is often stated that the employer "currently" practices five weeks of holiday, says Arthur.
However, Arthur believes that the employer is never completely free to make changes if there are very general reservations, such as changes in position, work tasks and working hours.
What you need to do before you sign
Read the contract carefully
In conclusion, Arthur has a clear encouragement to those who are now getting a new job:
- Read the contract carefully and contact your union if you have any questions. This is how you ensure that your rights are safeguarded.
As a NITO member, you can submit your employment contract to one of our experts in employment law for a free review.